The present invention relates generally to gas/oil fired commercial and residential water heaters and specifically to a gas/oil fired water heater having a replaceable submerged combustion chamber assembly with curved fire tubes which is submergible in the water heater tank.
In conventional gas/oil fired water heaters, hot gas flows through a series of vertically mounted tubes which are mounted in vertical fashion between top and bottom support plates within the water heater tank. Water flows into and out of a chamber located between the support plates and contacts and circulates about the exterior of the vertical tubes to effect heat transfer to heat the water.
Typical prior art gas/oil fired water heaters featured non-pressurized external combustion chambers. The location of the combustion chamber on the exterior of the water heater results in lost heat and lower combustion efficiency. The tubes and support plates were not easily accessible and required disassembly of the entire tank for maintenance and replacement.
There has existed a need for a gas/oil fired water heater design with a replaceable submerged combustion chamber assembly which could be easily replaced if maintenance was required without disassembly of the entire device.
There has also existed a need for a water heater design which minimizes the internal stress on the submerged combustion chamber fire tubes to provide longer operating life and reduced maintenance requirements.
A need has also existed for a water heater with a submergible, pressurized combustion chamber so that all combustion takes places in the water heater tank interior in a chamber surrounded by water for virtually zero heat loss and increased efficiency.